Away from politics for a year after sitting out last October’s provincial election that reduced the Liberals to a minority, Pupatello has been director of business development and global markets for PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP.

She’ll be followed into the contest on Saturday by Citizenship and Immigration Minister Charles Sousa, who will resign from cabinet “in the next 24 hours,” said a source close to his campaign that will culminate in a leadership convention at Maple Leaf Gardens Jan. 25 to 27.

Pupatello, a former economic development and social services minister, will focus her bid on improving the financial situation in Ontario, where there are more than 600,000 unemployed and the deficit sits at $14.4 billion.

“It’ll be like James Carville in his advice to the Clinton campaign: ‘It’s the economy, stupid,’ ” a Pupatello insider said in reference to a scene in The War Room, a documentary on former U.S. president Bill Clinton’s first winning run for the White House.

Pupatello got a boost from McGuinty, whom she also served as deputy leader in the party’s opposition days when she was a scrappy presence in the legislature’s daily question period.

“Sandra is both a lot of fun and a lot of force,” the premier told reporters Wednesday an Ontario Chamber of Commerce summit on the economy.

Opposition parties said she brings a lot of baggage, too, as a minister around the cabinet table when the McGuinty government scrapped two power plants at a cost of at least $230 million to taxpayers, and for scandals surrounding the ORNGE air ambulance service and eHealth Ontario.

“They were all there,” Progressive Conservative Leader Tim Hudak said of the leadership candidates, including former ministers Kathleen Wynne and Glen Murray, who declared their candidacies earlier this week.

“They all looked the other way when the ORNGE scandal developed.”

It will be fascinating to watch Liberals run on ways to improve the province after being part of the team that has brought the province heavy unemployment and higher electricity bills, said New Democrat MPP Jonah Schein (Davenport).

“McGuinty ministers can run for premier, but they can’t hide from their record.”

Matthews said she decided not to run because the health-care system needs a “steady hand” in efforts to cut costs and improve services.

“The biggest contribution I can make is to stay right where I am,” she told a hospital conference on Wednesday.

Matthews, a grandmother of four and sister-in-law of former premier David Peterson, said she plans to run in the next election.

She would have faced heavy scrutiny for her oversight of the health ministry during the ORNGE air ambulance scandal, but insisted that was “not at all” a factor in her decision.

Sousa can expect heat over the Mississauga power plant north of Sherway Gardens mall.

The decision to scrap that plant less than two weeks before last fall’s election, and a larger one in Oakville that was cancelled a year earlier, were seen as politically motivated “seat savers” by opposition parties to save five Liberal ridings.

“He’s the lightning rod,” said Conservative energy critic Vic Fedeli, noting it was Sousa who announced the Mississauga plant cancellation.

Duncan has said he would support a Pupatello bid. Because he will not run in the next general election, Pupatello could run for his Windsor—Tecumseh seat after her old seat in Windsor West was won by Liberal Teresa Piruzza.

Also considering bids are former education minister Gerard Kennedy and current Children and Youth Services Minister Eric Hoskins, a medical doctor.

With files from Alex Ballingall

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